Japanese Bento Box Dinner

A bento is a divided box that originated in Japan. Bento boxes are made from a wide variety of materials, including lacquer, bamboo, plastic and stainless steel. A traditional bento meal includes carbohydrates (rice or noodles), protein (fish, chicken, meat, or tofu), vegetables and fruit. Foods are arranged in the box to display a colorful, healthy meal with a wonderful variety of flavors and tastes.

Grilled Salmon with Red Miso Sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup Red miso paste water

1/3 cup Sake

3 Tbsp. Chicken stock (or Dashi)

1 Tbsp. Soy sauce

4 6-ounce Salmon fillets, skinned

Directions:

To make the sauce, combine all four ingredients in a saucepan and stir to a smooth sauce. Place saucepan on the stove over medium heat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Set aside and let cool.
Brush both sides of salmon fillets with miso sauce. Lightly oil and heat a grill pan over medium heat. Place salmon on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. Brush with sauce, turn fillets over and brush with sauce again. Cook 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Steamed Edamame

Ingredients:

Frozen Edamame (about 10 pods per person)

Water

Pinch of Kosher or Sea salt

Directions:

Bring about 3-4 quarts of water to a boil and place the edamame in the boiling water. Cook 3-5 minutes. Drain. When plating, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Have another bowl at the table to put the empty pods in.

Yakisoba (stir-fried noodles)

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and have a unique brown color. Yakisoba is a popular dish of stir-fried soba noodles and a variety of meats and vegetables. You can use any type of meat or seafood and any types of vegetables – including bean sprouts, green peppers, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, celery, and broccoli.

Ingredients:

8-ounce Soba noodles

1 cup Bean sprouts, rinsed

8-10 Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

8 Cooked shrimp, chopped

3 Green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp. Vegetable or Peanut oil

Yakisoba Sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

Prepare Yakisoba sauce. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add soba noodles, stirring to separate them. Boil soba noodles for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.